Jaipur
On the 18th of November 1727, Sawai Jai Singh II laid the cornerstone for a new capital city. He moved his seat from Amber to Jaipur to accommodate a growing population and address water scarcity issues. The ruler consulted architects like Vidyadhar Bhattacharya to design the layout based on principles of Vastu Shastra and Shilpa Shastra. Construction began in 1726 before the official founding date. The city was divided into nine blocks with two reserved for state buildings and palaces. Seven blocks were allotted to the public. Huge ramparts surrounded the area pierced by seven fortified gates. Three main gates faced east, west, and north. The eastern gate is called Suraj pol or sun gate. The western gate is known as Chand pol or moon gate. The northern gate faces the ancestral capital of Amer. Streets were designed with regularity unusual for pre-modern Indian cities. Broad streets measured 34 meters wide dividing the city into six sectors. Five quarters wrapped around the east, south, and west sides of a central palace quarter. A sixth quarter sat immediately to the east. The Palace quarter enclosed the Hawa Mahal palace complex along with formal gardens and a small lake. Nahargarh Fort crowned the hill in the northwest corner of the old city.
During the rule of Sawai Ram Singh II, the city was painted pink to welcome Albert Edward, Prince of Wales in 1876. Many avenues remain painted in pink giving Jaipur its distinctive appearance and epithet Pink City. The city features two World Heritage Sites including Jantar Mantar observatory and Amer Fort. Hawa Mahal stands as a five-storey pyramidal shaped monument rising from its high base. It contains 953 windows that allow air to flow through the building. Sisodiya Rani Bagh and Kanak Vrindavan serve as major parks within the city limits. The Presidential Suite at the Raj Palace Hotel was listed second on CNN's World's 15 most expensive hotel suites in 2012. The suite billed at 10,000 Indian rupees per night attracted global attention. On the 6th of July 2019, the city was placed on the World Heritage Cities list. C.V. Raman called it the Island of Glory due to its beauty. The city serves as a gateway to other tourist destinations like Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, and Udaipur. Jaipur is part of the Western Golden Triangle tourist circuit along with Delhi and Agra.
As of the official report, Jaipur Municipal Corporation had 5,99,507 households and a population of 3,046,163. Three hundred eighty-seven thousand three hundred fifty-four people were under the age of seven representing 12.72 percent of the total. The sex ratio stood at 900 females per 1000 males according to census data. Literacy reached 83.33 percent for those aged seven years and above. Scheduled Castes made up 392,285 individuals or 12.88 percent of the population. Scheduled Tribes accounted for 115,258 people comprising 3.78 percent. Hindi served as the official language while English functioned as an additional official language. The native dialect Dhundari coexisted with Marwari and Standard Hindi dialects. According to the 2011 census, 69.69 percent recorded their language as Hindi. Nine point eight five percent spoke Rajasthani while 5.86 percent used Urdu. Four point three six percent identified Marwari and 3.93 percent chose Dhundari as their first language. Hindus formed the majority religious group accounting for 77.9 percent of the city's population. Muslims comprised 18.6 percent followed by Jains at 2.4 percent.
The GDP of Jaipur district was estimated at INR 1,22,140 crores in 2020, 21 according to Directorate of Economics and Statistics records. Per-capita GDP reached INR 141,305 during that same period. Three major trade promotion organizations have offices here including FICCI and PHDCCI. Jaipur Stock Exchange operated from 1989 until it closed in March 2015. Mahindra World City serves as an integrated business zone housing software and IT companies. Asia's largest incubator called Bhamashah Techno Hub was built by the Government of Rajasthan. The city emerged as a hub for automotive industries with manufacturing plants for JCB and Hero MotoCorp. Chemical manufacturers like Emami and National Engineering Industries operate within the city limits. Jaipur is one of India's largest manufacturers of hand-knotted rugs. A rubber-based prosthetic leg known as Jaipur foot was designed and produced locally. World Trade Park Jaipur opened its doors as a shopping mall in 2012. In 2008, Jaipur ranked 31 among the 50 Emerging Global Outsourcing cities.
Jaipur Metro commenced commercial operation on the 3rd of June 2015 after construction started in November 2010. Phase 1A comprised 9.63 kilometres of route from Mansarovar to Chandpole Bazaar. Nine stations served this initial section including Civil Line and Railway Station. Phase-1B began operation on the 23rd of September 2020 between Chandpole and Badi Chaupar. The estimated cost for Phase-1B reached 97.32 billion rupees or 1.74 billion dollars. Jaipur International Airport handles over 2.5 million domestic passengers annually according to 2015, 2016 data. It became the 13th busiest airport in India for daily scheduled flight operations. The airport received international status on the 29th of December 2005. Jaipur Junction railway station serves almost 35,000 passengers daily making it the busiest station in Rajasthan. Construction of the existing station building took three years starting from May 1956. The station harnesses solar energy technology to power its operations. Jaipur Ring Road connects multiple national highways with a total length of 150 kilometers. A 57-kilometer six-lane section was completed at Rs. 1217 crore.
The Jaipur Gharana for Kathak represents one of three gharanas of major north Indian classical dance forms. Performers known for rapid intricate dance forms and vivacious body movements define this tradition. Ghoomer stands as a popular folk dance style celebrated throughout the region. Tamasha art form features Kathputli puppet dance shown in play format. Major festivals include Elephant Festival, Gangaur, Makar Sankranti, Holi, Diwali, Vijayadashami, Teej, Eid, Mahavir Jayanti and Christmas. The Jaipur Literature Festival operates as the world's largest free literature festival. Authors, writers, and literature lovers from all over the country participate annually. Jawahar Kala Kendra established by Charles Correa serves as a cultural center. The Government Central Museum hosts several art and antiquities collections. Traditional shops sell antiques, jewellery, handicrafts, gems, bangles, pottery, carpets, textiles, leather, and metal products. Anokhi revived traditional techniques through contemporary brands. Paul McCartney wrote and recorded the song Riding into Jaipur released on his 2001 studio album Driving Rain. The film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel follows senior European immigrants who retire to Jaipur.
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Common questions
When was Jaipur founded by Sawai Jai Singh II?
Sawai Jai Singh II laid the cornerstone for Jaipur on the 18th of November 1727. Construction began in 1726 before the official founding date.
Why is Jaipur known as the Pink City?
Jaipur earned its epithet Pink City because Sawai Ram Singh II painted the city pink to welcome Albert Edward, Prince of Wales in 1876. Many avenues remain painted in pink giving Jaipur its distinctive appearance and epithet Pink City.
What are the main languages spoken in Jaipur according to census data?
Hindi serves as the official language while English functions as an additional official language in Jaipur. According to the 2011 census, 69.69 percent recorded their language as Hindi with other dialects including Rajasthani, Urdu, Marwari, and Dhundari also present.
How many households and people live in Jaipur based on official reports?
Jaipur Municipal Corporation had 5,99,507 households and a population of 3,046,163 according to the official report. Three hundred eighty-seven thousand three hundred fifty-four people were under the age of seven representing 12.72 percent of the total.
When did the Jaipur Metro commence commercial operation?
The Jaipur Metro commenced commercial operation on the 3rd of June 2015 after construction started in November 2010. Phase-1B began operation on the 23rd of September 2020 between Chandpole and Badi Chaupar.